A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gourdet family of France.
Reg. 8628 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. à trois bes. d'or; à la bord. du même, ch. de dix tourt. du champ.”
LorraineLorraine, c. 1498
Where the Gourdet Arms Were Recorded
Lorraine
Map of France showing where the Gourdet arms are recorded
The Gourdet arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1498.
Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his own.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in France in this period.
Charles VIII of France
Sovereign of the period
Charles VIII of France
1483–1498
Reigning in France when the Gourdet arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
In France, a coat of arms was a mark of honor that passed down through the male line to all legitimate descendants. Families often used the same shield without changes to show their shared heritage. If a branch wanted to stand out, they could add a small mark to their shield to show their specific place in the family tree.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Lorraine.
Origin & History of the Gourdet Family in France
The family name Gourdet finds its historical roots in the northeastern region of France known as Lorraine. Records confirm that members of the family were well established in this area by the year 1498. The name itself is thought to have originated as a descriptive nickname or a variation of local occupational terms common to the French-speaking populations of the Meuse and Moselle valleys. During the late fifteenth century, families in this region often lived in small agricultural communities or served in local administrative roles. As the Gourdet family grew, they became part of the social fabric of Lorraine, navigating the complex political shifts that defined the borderlands between the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of France. Their presence in official documents from the late 1400s suggests that they were recognized members of their local society long before the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gourde
A gourd or a container made from a dried hollowed fruit.
This name
GourdetA nickname for a person who grew gourds or possessed a round head.
also spelled
Gourde
Gourdeau
Gourdeaux
Goorday
Related arms
Gourdeauvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Meurthe-et-Moselle, Série B: Cours et juridictions
Bouteiller, Ernest, Dictionnaire topographique de l'ancien département de la Moselle, 1874
Lepage, Henri, Les communes de la Meurthe: journal historique des villes, bourgs, villages, hameaux et censes, 1853
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
